June 7, 2007

Is This the Best Part of Your Life?

We hear that youth is wasted on the young. People who say this are accepting the myth that only the young can enjoy life to the fullest. The truth is that older people do not consider their young days to be their best days; most enjoy their senior years more than any other part of their life.
—David Niven, Ph.D. in You have not finished the best part of your life.: Number 98 of The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People

Researchers conducted a long-term study of Northern Californians, interviewing subjects multiple times over three decades. When asked when they had been the happiest in their lives, each time eight out of ten answered "right now."
—Field D. 1997. "Looking Back, What Period of Your Life Brought You the Most Satisfaction?." International Journal of Aging and Human Development 45: 169.

Source: The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It. by David Niven, Ph.D. 2000 HarperCollins ISBN: 0-06-251650-7
See also: Country Inns & Suites by Carlson Read & Return It program.